Kick off to the holidays continues all day on Saturday in Menlo Park

One could celebrate the holiday season in Menlo Park today from dawn to dusk.

We chose to forego the breakfast with Santa held early Saturday morning, instead stopping by the Allied Arts Guild, which was holding its Christmas Market on Saturday afternoon. The resident artisans were there along with vendors exhibiting there wares in the Traditional Room. There were also all-set-to-take-home Christmas trees being auctioned off (pictured top).

Next stop was the Taste of the Mountains wine walk on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park, which benefited the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation. Eleven downtown merchants took part, opening their stores to local Santa Cruz mountain wineries.

We saw winemaker Len Lehman from Portola Winery at Harvest (photo of Christmas tree) and checked in with Buff Giurlani, who was pouring his Woodside Vineyards wines at Menlo Hard Woods (below).

It was also great to talk to vintners from one of our new Pinot Noir favorites, Kings Mountain Vineyards, and be introduced to some new wineries. Shout out to the Bordeaux blend from Roudon Smith.